Set Item - PowerShell

Overview

Set-Item is a PowerShell command that modifies the value of a property for a specified item. It’s commonly used for managing item properties in various data stores, such as the registry, environment variables, or file system.

Syntax

Set-Item [[-Path] <string>]
[-Name <string>]
[-Value <object>]
[-Force] [-Confirm] [-WhatIf]
[-Recurse] [-Exclude] [-Include]
[-ErrorAction <Action>]
[-ErrorVariable <string>]
[-OutVariable <string>]
[-OutBuffer]

Options/Flags

  • -Path: Specifies the full path to the item.
  • -Name: Specifies the name of the property to modify.
  • -Value: Specifies the new value to set for the property.
  • -Force: Overwrites the existing property value without prompting for confirmation.
  • -Confirm: Prompts the user for confirmation before modifying the property. Default: false
  • -WhatIf: Shows what would happen if the command is executed without actually making any changes.
  • -Recurse: Modifies the property on all items in a directory tree, including subfolders.
  • -Exclude: Excludes specified items from modification. Use wildcards (*) to exclude multiple items.
  • -Include: Includes only specified items for modification. Use wildcards (*) to include multiple items.
  • -ErrorAction: Specifies how to handle errors in the command.
  • -ErrorVariable: Stores errors in a specified variable.
  • -OutVariable: Stores the output of the command in a specified variable.
  • -OutBuffer: Stores the output of the command in a buffer rather than displaying it on the console.

Examples

Set a registry key value:

Set-Item -Path HKCU:\Software\Microsoft -Name SomeValue -Value NewValue

Set an environment variable:

Set-Item -Path Env:Path -Name NewPath

Set a file attribute:

Set-Item -Path C:\path\to\file -Name Attributes -Value Hidden

Recursively set a property on all files in a directory tree:

Set-Item -Path C:\path\to\dir -Name LastWriteTime -Value Get-Date -Recurse

Common Issues

  • Access Denied Errors: Ensure you have sufficient permissions to modify the specified item.
  • Value Does Not Match Expected Type: Verify that the provided value matches the expected data type for the property.
  • Path Not Found: Double-check the specified path to ensure it exists and is correct.

Integration

Set-Item can be used in conjunction with other PowerShell commands to automate tasks. For instance:

Combine with Get-Item to retrieve and modify values:

$item = Get-Item -Path HKCU:\Software\Microsoft
Set-Item -InputObject $item -Name SomeValue -Value NewValue

Use with a script:

$items = Get-ChildItem -Path C:\path\to\dir
foreach ($item in $items) {
    Set-Item -Path $item.FullName -Name Hidden -Value $true
}
  • Get-Item: Retrieves the value of a property for a specified item.
  • New-Item: Creates a new item in a data store.
  • Remove-Item: Removes an item from a data store.